On this day in 1899, a congressional act authorized the formation of the Thirty-Third Infantry Regiment, better known as the "Texas Regiment," one of the most famous American combat units of the...(Read More)

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Prolific tunesmith honored in hall of fame

October

12

1980

On this day in 1980, songwriter Mickey Newbury was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame. A native of Houston, Milton "Mickey" Newbury, Jr., earned the reputation of being one of the best tunesmiths of his generation. He penned songs for a diverse array of performers, including Andy Williams, Roy Orbison, Eddy Arnold, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, B. B. King, Joan Baez, Dottie West, Johnny Rodriguez, and many others. In 1968 Newbury became the first songwriter to ever score Number 1 hits on the easy listening, country, rhythm and blues, and pop-rock charts at the same time. His arrangement of a trio of Civil War songs known as "American Trilogy" became his best-known work and was favored by Elvis Presley as the closing number for his live shows.